Advocate for Child Care Funding! Read this Philadelphia Inquirer Letter to the Editor

3/13/23 | Philadelphia Inquirer | Letters to the Editor

𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

While legislators and policymakers may be pleased with the new governor’s budget, advocates in the childcare community like me are incensed. Keeping the level of public support where we’ve been (actually less than last year’s CARES funds) says to early childhood educators and the families they serve that they are mere babysitters, even though ages birth to 5 are when crucial brain development occurs.

Childcare providers have the training, experience, and talent for nurturing and inspiring little ones. They work in demanding jobs with long hours. When hourly wages average $12.35, staff are forced to leave the industry for better-paying jobs. There’s been a staffing shortage for years that accelerated during the pandemic, forcing providers to close classrooms or shut their doors. Families who cannot find childcare are forced to give up jobs to stay home with their kids. Worst of all, when children do not have the social and preliteracy preparation provided by quality childcare, they start their K-12 journey behind and sometimes never catch up.

VIPs in the state legislature may be facing easier budget negotiations, but this comes on the backs of early childhood educators and cheats young children and their families.

Eleanor Levie, Philadelphia

TAKE ACTION NOW! Tell Governor Shapiro to invest in children, families, and the community by investing in child care.

Send a message to Governor Shapiro by clicking HERE.

Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: (717) 787-2500
Fax: (717) 772-8284

#SolveChildCare #supportchildcare #working4children #RaiseChildCare #supportearlyeducators #InvestInChildCare Start Strong PA